Google's Selling Names

Frpom Beta News Google becomes domain registrar.

Further fueling the flames of speculation that surround Google's future plans, the search giant has recently become an ICANN-accredited domain registrar. Google will be able to directly sell seven top-level domains, but it is currently unclear where the company's specific intentions lie.

Google has yet to make any announcements about becoming domain registrar number 895, but that hasn't stopped the rumor mill. Google offers a special AdSense service for domain sellers to make money from unused Web addresses, and the company could also benefit by offering low-cost domain names to its Blogger user base.

I see lots of opportunities here.

When doing a search, if the search term isnt listed as a direct website, offer it as a direct link.

They already offer a free webhosting biz through their Blogger site. They have dozens of options for software to use for a blog. They make so easy to run a blog, that even a technologically challenged guy like me can do it.

They can offer you the ability to host your site AND include advertising without you having to hire a search engine marketing co.

Register your site for x amount (make it free) and we'll provide sponsored links.

This could be their entrance to mobile. I envision the Real Names concept coming back through a Google domain idea.

Whatever they decide to do with this, once again they have stolen MSFT's thunder today with their search engine release.

You can try MSFT's new search engine here.

I tried it. Not being a tech guru, I found many things I didnt like. The search listings are displayed too far to the left, there isnt a border. The results seemd to crowd my screen.

The cached page didnt work like Google's. If I'm searching for a specific word in a query. I like Googles feature of highlighting the word in color.

Ask 10 people on the street what search engine they use, chances are they either say whatever my home page is set to or Google.

Ask those same people how to get to MSFT's search page and I bet you not one says "http/beta.search.msn.com.results.aspx?q=google beats msft again&form=qbrea83"..It just doesnt roll off the tongue like Google.

I did like the images search better than Google's. The pictures delivered were much bigger than the ones Google delivers.

There ARE ways Microsoft can catch Google, but are the guys in Redmond willing to listen?